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EU foreign ministers: Assad has no role in Syria's future

EU foreign ministers have said that Syria's president should play no role in the country's post-conflict future. The comments follow a recent, apparent shift in US policy.

European Union foreign ministers said ahead of a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday that they see no future for President Bashar al-Assad in post-conflict Syria. The statements come after the United States suggested its approach to reaching peace in the region will change.

But EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said she believed it "would be impossible" to return to the status quo in Syria after peace is restored in the country.

"It seems completely unrealistic to believe that the future of Syria will be exactly the same as it used to be in the past," she said as she arrived for the EU foreign ministers' meeting.

The US has backed anti-Assad Syrian fighters conducting offensives against the Islamic State.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the changed US position might be "more realistic." While Gabriel said not insisting Assad step down from the start would limit the risk of deadlock, he also warned the US that the Syrian leader must be held accountable for his crimes.

"But there is one thing which cannot happen - that a dictator who committed horrible crimes in the region remains untouched," Gabriel said.

United Nations-sponsored peace talks should continue with the goal of creating a "new constitution, elections and a new and democratic government," Gabriel added. "This cannot be abandoned or subordinated to the conflict against Islamic State."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that his country did not imagine that a new, peaceful Syria could be led by Assad.